Pump for corrosive fluids.



U. WEDGE.

PUMP FOR OORROSIVE FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1911.

1,027,947. Patented May 28, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ELEE

WITNESSES I J INVENTOR 7 Lii BY ilflrgffii cqLuMBlA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

U. WEDGE.

PUMP FOR GORROSIVE FLUIDS. APPLICATION rum) SEPT. 13, 1911'.

1,027,947.. Patented May 28, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR I UTLVEY.WEDC1E BY Hi5 ATTORNEY STATES PATENT QT FT CE.

UTLEY WEDGE, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUMP FOB, COBROSIVE FLUIDS.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, UTLEY WEDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Pumps for Corrosive Fluids, of which the following is a specificat-ion.

My invention relates to that class of pumps which are used for pumping corrosive fluids such, for instance, as sulfuric acid or other corrosive fluid or gas. The ordinary pump, whether of the centrifugal or reciprocating type, when used for such purpose, is subject to the disability that the corrosive action of the fluid which is being pumped rapidly impairs or destroys the material employed for packing the driving shaft, if the pump is of the centrifugal type, or for packing the piston rod, if the pump is of the reciprocating type.

The object of my invention is to prevent such destructive or deteriorating effect upon the packing, and this object I attain by in terposing, bet-Ween the stuffing box or other packing carrier of the pump and the body of corrosive fluid within the pump, a body of non-corrosive fluid which will prevent access of said corrosive fluid to the packing material. By preference, the non -corrosive fluid which is thus employed is of a lubricating character.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 represents, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, a rotary or centrifugal pump constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a slmilar view of a reciprocating pump embodying the invention.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, 1 represents the casing of the pump which has a central 1nlet 2 at the bottom and a peripheral outlet or discharge 3, the usual vaned drum of such pump being rotated by means of an electric or other suitable form of motor 4, through the medium of a shaft 5. This shaft passes through a stufling box 6 mounted at the top of a tubular casing 7 interposed between the stufing box and the pump casing 1, the interior of this casing 7 being in communication with the pump chamber so that a column of the corrosive fluid which is being pumped will rise in the casing 7 around the shaft 5, the height of this column being dependent upon the pressure to which the discharge from the pump is subjected and the top of the column being always some Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 13, 1811.

a distance below the stufling box 6, its level Patented May 2S,1912. Serial No. 649,184.

being, by preference, indicated by means of an external gage glass 9, or other suitable indicator on the casing 7.

Between the top of the column of corrosive fluid and the stuffing box 6 is maintained, in the space 10 surrounding the shaft 5, a body of air, oil, or other non-corrosive fluid of lesser specific gravity than the corrosive fluid which is being pumped, this body of non-corrosive fluid being under such pressure as to maintain the desired level of said column, and being supplied to the space 10 through a suitable pipe 11, which may be provided with a valve 12 for admitting fresh supplies to compensate for any loss.

by leakage or other waste, or this valve may be an automatic regulating valve for maintaining a constant pressure within the space 10. If the noncorrosive body is of a liquid character and incompressible it will simply be necessary to replenish it at intervals as indicated by the rise of the level of corrosive fluid in the gage glass 9. The interposition of this body of non-corrosive fluid between the corrosive fluid and the packing material in the stufling boX effectually prevents any access of such corrosive fluid to said packing material and any destructive or deteriorating effect upon the latter. By preference, the interposed body of fluid consists of oil or other material which will have a lubricating eflect upon the packing as well as the isolating effect for which it is mainly intended.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the application of my invention to a reciprocating pump having suitable valved intakes 2, valved outlets 3*, piston 13 and piston rod 5, the latter operating within the tubular casing 7 which is provided, as before, with the gage glass 9, valved fluid inlet pipe 11 and stufling box 6.

I claim:

1. The combination, in a pump for corrosive fluid, of the pump casing, the packed operating member of the pump, and a tubular casing projecting from the pump casing, said tubular casing containing the operating member of the pump and carrying the packing therefor, and in communication with the pumping chamber whereby it may also contain a column of the corrosive fluid, and a body of non-corrosive fluid interposed between said column and the packing material.

2. The combination, in a pump for corrosive fluid, of the pump casing, the packed operating member of the pump, and a tubular casing projecting from the pump casing, said tubular casing containing the operating member of the pump and carrying the packing therefor, and in communication with the pumping chamber whereby it may also contain a column of the corrosive 10 fluid, and a body of fluid lubricant interposed between said column and the packing material.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my UTLEY WEDGE.

Witnesses KATE A. BEADLE, HAMILTON D. TURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivefcents'each-by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents.

Washington, D. C. c; 

